Vacuum cleaner



oct. 12, 1943.` H. G. HUNT I 2,331,692

' VACUUM CLEANER y i Filed oct. .15, 1940 Patented Oct. 12, 1943 UNITEDs'nrrizsv PA'l'izN-'r OFFICE i VACUUM CLEANER minne o. Hunt, Natick, ma.ApplicationOctober 15, 1940, Serial No. 361,247 t (ci. ipssi 8 Claims'.4 This invention relates to a vacuum cleaner.

In general, one object of the invention is to provide a novel andimproved'vacuum cleaner of the type having agitating means mounted inthe cleaning nozzle wherein provision is made for operating theagitating means in a novel economical and practical manner.

The invention has for a further object to provide a novel and improvedvacuum cleaner having a rotary brush or agitator in the cleaning nozzleand in which provision is made for pneumatically driving the rotarybrush or agitator in a novel practical and economical manner.

With these general objects in view and such others as may hereinafterappear, the invention consists in the vacuum cleaner and in the variousstructures, arrangements and combinations of parts hereinafter describedand particularly defined in the claims at the end of this specication.

In the drawing illustrating the preferred embodiment of the-invention,Fig. l is a cross-sectional4 View of a vacuum cleaner of the tank orcylinder type embodying the present invention; Fig. 2 is an enlargedview in cross-section of a modied form of the cleaning nozzle shown inFig. 1; and Fig. 3 isla side elevation, partly in cross section of thecleaning nozzle.

In general, the present invention contemplates a novel and improvedelectric vacuum cleaner of the type with agitating means mounted in thecleaning nozzle in which provision is made `for actuating the agitatorfrom a source of power remote from the nozzle. Heretofore. priorelectric vacuuml cleaners employing a rotary agitating element in thesuction nozzle have been motor driven, some directly from the suctioncreating motor by means of a belt or other connection. This method ofdriving the rotary agitator has required a motor in proximity to theagitator and has precluded the utilization of such agitators in vacuumcleaners of the so-called tank type.

In accordance with the present invention, the nozzle mounted agitatormay be driven from the suction creating or other motor disposed remotelyfrom the cleaning nozzle and in the illustrated embodiment of theinvention, such connections include a pneumatically driven impellerelement mounted in the nozzle and a conduit connected to the exhaust endof thevacuum cleaner to opervate the air driven element by the airbeingy exhausted from the cleaner during the cleaning operation.

yReferring now to the drawing which illustrates vthe preferredembodiment of the invention, I0 represents a vacuum 'cleaner of theso-called tank or cylinderA type having an inlet I2 at one end and anexhaust outlet I4`at the other end. The illustrated vacuum cleaner isprovided with the usual suction creating unit including an electricmotor l0 and fan I8 at one end of the tank, and

a dust receiving bag 20 is secured to the inlet end. Suitable iilteringyelements indicated generally at 22 may-also beprovided between the bagand thefan. i

The inlet end of the tank I0 is connected by a hose 24 and extensiontubes 26 to a nozzle unit'v indicated generally at 28. The nozzle unit28 is provided with a rotary brush or-agitator'30'rotatably mounted inball bearings 32 Lcarried in the nozzle casing 34. As herein shown, atleast one and preferably both ends of the brush shaft SB-may be providedwith an impeller wheelv or rotary motor 38 fast thereon and adaptedto beactuated by air pressure. The impellersii are fitted in bores 40provided in the endso'fthe' nozzle casing, and cover plates 42 arefitted, over lthe bores to enclose the impellers-in chambers 44. Eachchamber 44 is'provided with an air-:inlet 46 arranged to directa streamof air ontothe blades 48 of the impeller to eect rotati'rthereoi', theexhaust air being permitted to 'escape through an outlet 5l) disposedinthlowepon tion of the chamber. f

As herein illustrated, the air for actuating the rotary motor 38 may andpreferably will comprise the l exhaust air from the vacuum cleaner, al-

though it is not desired to limit'the invention in this respect. Theexhaust end I 4 offthe -tank l0 is provided with a curved fitting 52arranged to direct the exhaust air through a pipe connection |54, andflexible hose 56 which leads to the air inlet 46 ofeach chamber 44. Thehose 56' may Abe provided with an attachment tting 58 to permit the hoseto be conveniently disconnected I from the tank unit l0 when desired.The curved tting 52 is provided with a removable cap member 60 which maybe removed to permit the exhaust airto escape in the usual manner whenit is desired to discontinue rotation 'of the'rotary brushes oragitators 30. As herein shown, the hose .5S is preferably progressivelydecreased in size in order to impart increased velocity to the airstream and consequently to effect a relatively rapid rotation oftherotary motor 38. The rotary cleaning element, herein illustrated as abrush 30 may be made in any'usual or preferred form such as a brushhaving bristles in straight lines or staggered rows, indicated in Fig.2, or the bristles may be spiraliy arranged as shownin Fig. 1.

Referring now to the nozzle unit 28, the nozzle casing 34 is preferablymounted on'fwheels 62 in order to dispose the nozzle inlet 64 a'slightdistance above the surface to be cleaned so that in operation over a'carpet or rug, the suction operates to draw the carpet or rug up intothe nozzle inlet into a position to be brushed or agitated by the brush'or agitator 30 so that the combined agitating and pneumatic actionserves to perform an eicient cleaning operation. The

extension tube 2t which serves as a handle for the nozzle unit may beconnected to the latter by a universal connection of any usual orpreferred form, generally indicated at 65. From the description thusfar,'it will be ob-4 5 served that the present invention avoids thedisadvantages inherent in the direct connected methods heretoforeemployed in driving the rotary agitators of prior vacuum cleaners, andpermits the agitator in the nozzle to be driven from a source remotefrom the nozzle, thus enabling vacuum cleaners of the tank type tosuccessfully utilize an agitator in the nozzle thereof.

In addition to its utility when embodied in a vacuum cleaner as hereinillustrated, the pneumatic driving mechanism may be used with advantagein other comparable machines when it is desired to rotate a rotaryelement from a motor disposed remote from the rotary element, lsuch forexample, as in waxing, or polishing machines.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been hereinillustrated and described, it will be understood that the invention maybe embodied in other forms within the scope of the following claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

l. A vacuum cleaner having, combination,

a chamber having an inlet and a'n outlet, a motor driven fan in saidchamber arranged to cre-- ate a suction in said inlet and to dischargeex-A haust air from said outlet. a cleaning nozzle connected to saidsuction inlet, a rotary agitating 3 member carried by said nozzle, andconnections between said exhaust outlet and said rotary memberconstructed and arranged to pneumatically drive said rotary member withthe exhaust air stream, said exhaust outlet being provided 40 with aremovable cap member, upon removal of which the pneumatic drive to saidrotary member may bediscontinued.

2. In a vacuum cleaner, in combination, suction creating means, acleaning nozzle operatively connected with the suction creating meansand through which the air for performing the cleaning operation is drawnby the, suction creating means, a rotary agitator mounted within thenozzle in position to engage the surface to be 5o cleaned when the mouthof the nozzle is drawn across such surface, and pneumaticallyoperatedmeans for rotating the agitating device comprising an impellermember operatively connected to the agitating device, a chamberenclosing the impeller member, said chamber being mounted upon and innon-communicating relation to the nozzle and having an air inlet and anair outlet, the latter being arranged to dis charge air outside of thenozzle, and a conduit operatively connected to said suction creatingmeans and connected with said inlet for conducting thereto exhaust airafter the latter has passed through the cleaning nozzle and hasperformed the cleaning operation whereby to effect e5 the operation ofthe impeller member without diminishing the suction at the mouth of thenozzle.

3. In a vacuum` cleaner, in combination, a portable tank provided withan inlet at one end and a n outlet at the opposite end, a cleaningnozzle, a flexible conduit connecting the tank*A inlet with the nozzle,a suction creating device within the tank, a dust-collecting bag withinthe tank through which air is sucked from the cleaning nozzle throughsaid flexible conduit by said suction creating device to be dischargedthrough said tank outlet, a rotary agitator mounted within the nozzle inposition to engage th'e surface to be cleaned whenV the mouth of thenozzle is drawn across the surface, pneumatically operated means foroperating the agitating device comprising an impeller member connectedwith the agitating device, a chamber enclosing the impeller member andhaving an inlet and an outlet,-said chamber being mounted upon andseparated from the nozzle, and the outlet being disposed to dischargeair outside of the nozzle, and a ilexible conduit connecting the tankoutlet with said impeller chamber inlet, whereby to eilect the operationof the impeller member by the exhaust air after the air has performedthe cleaning operation without diminishing the suction at the mouth ofthe nozzle.

4. In a vacuum cleaner, in combination, suction creating means, acleaning nozzle operatively connected with the suction creating meansand through which the air for performing the cleaning operation is drawnby the suction creating means, a rotary agitator mounted within thenozzle in position to engage the surface to be cleaned when the mouth ofthe nozzle is drawn across such surface, a pneumatically operated devicecomprising two impeller memmers connected to opposite ends of theagitating device, separate impeller receiving chambers each having aninlet and an outlet mounted upon the nozzle housing and separated fromthe interior of the nozzle, and conduits operatively connected to thesuction creating means and to the impeller receiving chamber inlets forconducting exhaust air to said inlets to operate said impeller memberswithout diminishing the suction at the nozzle.

5. In a vacuum cleaner, in combination, a portable tank provided with aninlet and an outlet, suction creating means within the tank, a dustcollector within the tank between the outlet and said suction creatingmeans, a cleaning nozzle, va long flexible conduit operativelyconnecting the nozzle with the tank inlet and through' which the air forperforming the cleaning operation is drawn by the suction creatingmeans, a rotary agitator mounted within the nozzle in position to engagethe surface to be cleaned when the mouth of the nozzle is drawn acrosssuch surface, and pneumatically operated means for rotating theagitating device comprising an impeller member operatively connected tothe agitating device, an impeller chamber ehclosing the impeller memberin non-communi eating relation to th'e nozzle and having an air inletand an outlet, said outlet being disposed to discharge air outside ofthe nozzle, and a flexible conduit connected to said impeller chamberinlet for supplying air under pressure to operate said impeller member.

6. In a vacuum cleaner, the combination comprising: a cleaning nozzlehaving a chamber formed therein adapted to receive agitator means, meansfor creating a suction in said cleaning nozzle chamber, agitator meansin said cleaning nozzle chamber, means including a source of air underpressure for operating said agitator means, and means for dischargingspent agitator operating air at a point outside the nozzle chamber.

HILLAND G, HUNT.

